Carl's Jr. and Hardee's Salute Active Duty Military, Veterans & Families with Seventh Annual Nationwide Stars for Heroes Fundraising Campaign

Gary Sinise Foundation, Stand Up and Play Foundation, and USA Cares named national beneficiaries for 2017

FRANKLIN, Tenn.--()--CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc. (“CKE”), parent company of Carl’s Jr.® and Hardee’s® restaurants, kicks off its seventh annual Stars for Heroes™ fundraising campaign this week at participating locations nationwide. The program, which has raised more than $6.5 million since its inception in 2011, promotes the compassion and generosity of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s customers, franchisees and employees to support our nation’s active-duty military, veterans and their families. Funds raised during this year’s campaign will support national charity partners, Gary Sinise Foundation, Stand Up and Play Foundation, and USA Cares as well as dozens of regional and local military-focused charities in the communities Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s serve.

The 2017 Stars for Heroes fundraising campaign begins today and runs through June 21. To participate, restaurant guests can donate any dollar amount of their choosing in support of military charities. For each donation, guests receive a commemorative “I support military veterans and families” patriotic star-shaped cut-out to personalize and display in the restaurant. They will also receive restaurant coupons valued at more than $10 to use toward future purchases.

“The entire Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s family—from executive to customer—has a long-standing tradition of giving back to, and supporting America’s military community; I’m incredibly proud to be able to continue that legacy with my first Stars for Heroes campaign as CEO,” said Jason Marker, chief executive officer for CKE. “In 2016, CKE raised over $1.5 million to aid in the vital work of our regional and national charitable partners, and this year, we’re hoping to push that total even higher. We invite everyone to honor our nation’s brave people in uniform this Memorial Day by visiting a nearby Carl’s Jr. or Hardee’s location and making a donation to this outstanding cause.”

“The Gary Sinise Foundation values its great relationship with CKE,” said Gary Sinise, founder of Gary Sinise Foundation. “CKE is making a difference, and understands the importance of standing strong for those who serve and defend our great nation. While we can never do enough to support our veterans and first responders, we can always try to do more, and through the contributions from Stars for Heroes, we will continue to promote that message. My personal thanks goes out to everyone at CKE for their continuing support."

"As founder of the Stand up and Play Foundation, I cannot put into words how grateful I am that our foundation will again be among the recipients of the funds raised by the Stars for Heroes campaign in 2017,” said Anthony Netto, founder of Stand Up and Play Foundation. “I am honored to have the support of the incredible individuals at all levels of Carl's Jr., Hardee’s and the entire CKE family. This campaign has impacted our foundation tremendously, year after year, allowing us to expand our programs across the country and touch the lives of numerous veterans. I am humbled by the generosity shown to us and excited to kick off this year's campaign!"

“For seven years, CKE and USA Cares have joined forces to change the lives of post-9/11 veterans and their families,” said Hank Patton, executive director for USA Cares. “Families facing the threat of hunger, eviction, foreclosure and other hardships trust that USA Cares will be there to provide them with relief and an opportunity to recover. The tremendous support our organization has received from the Stars for Heroes campaign has strengthened our ability to help those who have given so much of themselves; we are humbled by this honor and thank CKE for making this possible.”

Since 2011, the Stars for Heroes program has supported more than 200 U.S. military charities nationwide. Stars for Heroes is made possible through generous contributions by CKE’s franchise community—The Independent Hardee’s Franchise Association (IHFA) and Star Franchise Association (SFA)—along with company employees and loyal customers. Private donations and in-kind support are provided by CKE partners and suppliers, including KDM POP Solutions Group. To learn more about the Stars for Heroes national beneficiaries, visit their websites at www.garysinisefoundation.org, www.standupandplayfoundation.org and www.usacares.org.

About CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc.

CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc. (“CKE”) is a privately held company headquartered in Franklin, Tenn. CKE is not a franchisor and conducts substantially all of its restaurant activities and operations through its subsidiaries. Carl’s Jr. Restaurants LLC and Hardee’s Restaurants LLC own, operate and franchise the Carl’s Jr., Hardee’s, Green Burrito® and Red Burrito® concepts. Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s operate as one brand under two names, acknowledging the rich regional heritage of both banners. After recent international openings in Chile, Cambodia and Kenya, Carl’s Jr. Restaurants LLC and Hardee’s Restaurants LLC now have over 3,800 franchised or company-operated restaurants in 44 states and 40 foreign countries and U.S. territories. Known for its one-of-a-kind premium menu items such as 100 percent Black Angus Thickburgers®, Made from Scratch™ Biscuits and Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders™, as well as an award-winning marketing approach, the Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s brand continues to deliver substantial and consistent growth in the U.S. and overseas. The Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s system is now 94 percent franchised, with international restaurants representing 21 percent of the system. For more information about CKE, please visit www.ckr.com or its brand sites at www.carlsjr.com and www.hardees.com.

About the Gary Sinise Foundation:

The Gary Sinise Foundation honors America’s defenders, veterans, first responders, their families and those in need. Through its R.I.S.E. program (Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment), specially adapted smart homes are being constructed for severely wounded veterans nationwide. Each one-of-a-kind home is customized to ease the everyday burdens of a wounded hero, their family and caregivers. Other programs include Relief & Resiliency Outreach, Invincible Spirit Festivals, Gary Sinise & the Lt. Dan Band, Arts & Entertainment Outreach, Serving Heroes, and First Responders Outreach. Its latest program, Soaring Valor, is sending WWII veterans to The National WWII Museum and documenting their first-hand accounts of the war. For more information, please visit www.garysinisefoundation.org.

About Stand Up and Play Foundation

The mission of the Stand Up and Play Foundation is to provide wheelchair users and others with impaired mobility the opportunity to stand up and engage in recreational and everyday activities through access to paramobiles, clinics and recreational programs. Our organization introduces the paramobile and other adaptive equipment to wheelchair users through clinics and demonstrations where we reinforce the mental and physical therapeutic benefits of standing. Our goal is to make paramobiles available to as many support organizations, rehab centers, golf courses, veterans groups and individuals as possible. www.standupandplayfoundation.org

About USA Cares

USA Cares is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) charitable organization that addresses the critical and unmet needs of 9-11 service members, veterans and military families facing service-related hardships. The object is to reach families at the earliest stage of intervention to proactively prevent further financial distress, including foreclosure. When USA Cares is contacted to provide assistance, our goal is to respond to each family within 48 hours. Assistance programs include Combat Injured, Career Transition, Housing and Emergency Assistance. We have responded to more than 92,000 requests for emergency financial assistance, which are paid directly to the creditor in the form of a grant. USA Cares provides the critical support that our veterans and military families need to create a foundation for financial resilience. www.usacares.org

Contacts

On behalf of CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc.
Coast Public Relations
Kate Franklin, 818-606-9784
kate@coastprgroup.com

Contacts

On behalf of CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc.
Coast Public Relations
Kate Franklin, 818-606-9784
kate@coastprgroup.com